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Horror Shelter in Hreša, Bosnia

Jelena Paunović of Život BiH was contacted last night about a shelter in Hreša
district, on the outskirts of Sarajevo. She went there with volunteers and took photographs.

She went again this morning with food.This is what she discovered:

Over 50 dogs are being kept in entirely inhumane conditions, without adequate food or water or veterinary treatment, that numerous dogs are kept in tiny cages, that dead dogs are left amongst living dogs. Dogs have open wounds. Puppies are starving.

Furthermore, witnesses said that any non-purebred dog caught by the shelter is killed, and that purebred dogs are stolen from owners and only released to the owner if a ransom is paid.

One person said: “They only want purebred dogs because they can sell them. They just do not care about strays! They are killing them constantly! And also, they are stealing the dogs from people’s yards if they are purebred and selling them. One worker of the shelter I spoke to said that I have to pay 100 EUR if I want my dog back. When I arrived at Hresa shelter (it takes me about one hour!) they killed my dog in their car. My God I was ready to pay the ransom!”

Jelena was told by Slaviša Jovčić, the manager of the shelter and director of Glog, the company that built the shelter, that he was promised 130 000 KM from the local government municipalities for the shelter, but the full amount of the money was never paid by the municipality and therefore Slaviša Jovčić cannot ensure the care of the dogs.

What can be done? It will cost 20 euros a day to feed the dogs through the winter. It will cost animal welfare volunteers from Sarajevo 15 euros for each trip they make to check on the dogs and bring food. There is nowhere to release them to other than the streets. There are no foster homes for them, and ‘pension’ will cost at least 80 euros per dog.

Maybe we can a) raise funds for foodand b) bring international attention so the authorities are forced to do something. If you have any contacts with international animal welfare organisations please let them know. Sign the petition linked to below and send letters to the Mayor of the municipality.

And please contact the Mayor of the district directly – by mail, email, telephone and fax. The dogs only hope is if we show the Bosnian Government that we know, and that we will not sit by and let these dogs suffer.

You can also contact the local commissioner:
Snjezana Jovicic +387 (0) 57 265 117

Sample letter – better if you personalise it:

Dear Sir,

I request that the Government of Bosnian and Herzegovina, the Istocni Stari Grad authorities and municipality mayor Bojo Gašanović in particular, investigate the matter of the Hreša dog shelter.

We have reliable reports and eyewitness accounts substantiated by photographs that that over 50 dogs are being kept in inhumane conditions, without adequate food or water or veterinary treatment, that numerous dogs are kept in tiny cages, that dead dogs are left amongst living dogs. Furthermore, there are reports that any non-purebred dog caught by the shelter is killed, and that purebred dogs are stolen from owners and only released to the owner if a ransom is paid.

It is understood that Slaviša Jovčić, the manager of the shelter and director of Glog, the company that built the shelter, was promised 130 000 KM from the municipalities for the shelter, but the full amount of the money was never paid by the municipality and therefore Slaviša Jovčić cannot ensure the care of the dogs.

We demand that a full investigation is undertaken, that the municipality ensures that the facility is immediately provided with funds to care for these dogs. Modern practices must be implemented, giving food and fresh water and the facility be must kept sanitary and properly staffed with veterinary professionals so the animals are cared for and, ultimately, caring homes need to be found for these dogs.

This situation has sparked a global outcry and we look to the Bosnian and Herzegovinan justice system and authorities to conform with EU standards regarding animal welfare, and to apply the law that was passed in Bosnia Herzegovina incorporating these EU standards.

HOW TO HELP:
Please go to your PayPal account (or set one up, it’s very easy) and send the money to: donations@awabosnia.org as a ‘gift’. Click on the image below to be taken to PayPal’s home page.

Or if you want to use the customised PayPal form, click the link below. However, a transaction fee and a percentage (2- 5.4%) will be deducted by PayPal for any contribution made.

If you want your contribution to go to a specific dog, please make a note in the PayPal comment box. If you wish to contribute via bank transfer or have other difficulties or questions,please go here.

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This site is dedicated to Vučko. Read his story and don’t let him have suffered and died in vain. Please help the stray dogs and cats in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The situation there is utterly dire, Vučko is but one amongst many horrifically abused animals. Go here to find out how to help them. Money is needed for food, medicine and foster housing. Even just one dollar or one euro will help.

This is horrible and I feel so powerless I can’t do anything directly about them. I just signed the petition and sent an email to that Mayor asking him to do something about it. I feel so sad, horrible. I would stay without eating just to feed them if I was there right now. I just hope things really change in my country soon enough and I can afford more donations. :'(

It feels so wrong to have my little Chihuahua curled on my knee in the warmth with a full tummy, when these guys just want some decent food & water. I really hopes the re-post helps Sandra…God bless you & all the volunteers at Zivot BiH x

Dear Mrs. R. de Blaey, this shelter was funded by the local government municipality, so it is a state shelter. Unfortunately as has happened with many other shelters in Bosnia, funds were either embezzled, or used for other purposes before the shelter was completed. Furthermore, no provision is made for the dogs future in the shelter. I know of a shelter in Sarajevo where 140 dogs were basically left in the hands of volunteers, with no provision for food, heating, veterinary care, spay or neuter programs.

What can be done is to write letters to the Mayor of the municipality and to sign the petition and to share the petition and ask other people to write letters to the Mayor. Also, if you have any connections with international animal welfare groups, or journalists, please notify them. I will post up a copy of the letter in Serbo-Croatian so you can copy that and send it of by mail, fax and email – all three preferably. All details are in the posting above. Thank you!

Angela, I think it’s helpful to send the letters to the Bosnian authorities at least — even if they don’t respond, at least they know people are aware of the situation. Thanks so much! Also, if you can write to Dogs Trust Bosnia, asking them for news of the investigation into the Hresa Shelter and what plans they have for helping the strays, that would be useful. It’s important they don’t let up on this investigation. (See this post – part four of the Hresa story, links to the earlier parts are there http://inmemoryofvucko.wordpress.com/2012/12/08/horror-shelter-in-hresa-part-four/ ) Dogs Trust Bosnia address is:

R. de Blaey – I’m not sure I understand your question. At the moment we have rescued dogs that need sponsorship and fostering. It may be dangerous for the activists to return to the shelter to see what is happening there. I will update this site as soon as I know. Also there is a Facebook group if you are on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-the-Hre%C5%A1a-Dogs/292215637562138

Hello I left a comment on Facebook that I would love to take te emaciated dog from the top in foster but I understand it already passed away, so sorry to hear that. I got an message from Ann Engelen but I cannot reply because I got a ban on Facebook again , so I hope you can see my message here…..I have to move to another home his month so I’m very busy but when I’m settled in I would love to take one of the others in fostercare…..please let me know if I can help!!! Thanks for all this good work you do for them…..Betty Klootwijk

Bettina, YES there are definitely dogs and puppies needing homes who have been rescued from this atrocity. Please contact Mia Ožegović
at miaozegovich@gmail.com for more information and details. She was one of the activists on site, and as Jelena is doing so much else Mia is ‘in charge’ of this part.

Shocking Shocking, the beautiful dog at the top to have died, shocking , bad people in this world.Will donate some money by paypal. Thanks for raising awareness on the plight of these poor dogs and something urgently needs to be done.

Sharon, we’ve pretty much contacted all international welfare organisations and had virtually no response other than to get in touch with a group called Dog’s Trust which has a group in Bosnia. And I’ve had no response from them either….

Sandra – have just finished writing letters/emails on several animal issues and tomorrow will send a letter to the Mayor (Bojo Gasanovic). Are people still being asked to use the sample letter to make their points, in their own words, or has the situation changed (ie deteriorated) since it was discovered that most of the dogs have ‘disappeared’? What is the latest situation at this place?

Julie, thank you so very much. The situation has deteriorated in so far as the last time activists went to the shelter, there were no dogs at all, only a large, locked container nearby. Also the manager of the shelter has been threatening the activists. I don’t have specific details, but for certain something very bad is going on there. No one has returned, they don’t feel it’s safe to do so. Yes, please do send a letter to the Mayor asking him for a full investigation. I don’t believe anyone has had a reply from him….

You could also write to the Prosecutor’s office, details below, and a slightly updated letter in English and Serbo-Croatian. Thanks!

We, the undersigned, request that the Government of Bosnian and Herzegovina, the prosecutors office, the Istocni Stari Grad authorities and municipality mayor Bojo Gašanovic in particular, investigate the matter of the Hreša dog shelter.

We have reliable reports and eyewitness accounts substantiated by photographs from November 1st that over 50 dogs were being kept in inhumane conditions, without adequate food or water or veterinary treatment, that numerous dogs were kept in tiny cages, that dead dogs were left amongst living dogs, that dogs had open, untended wounds. Furthermore, there were reports that any non-purebred dog caught by the shelter was killed, and that purebred dogs were stolen from owners and only released to the owner if a ransom was paid.

Slaviša Jovcic, the director of the shelter and director of Glog, the company that built the shelter, stated that he was promised 130 000 KM from the municipalities for the shelter, but the full amount of the money was never paid by the municipality and therefore Slaviša Jovcic said he could not ensure the care of the dogs. However he promised cooperation with the activists, said he was willing to help them feed and care for the dogs.

On November 3rd, a second visit to the shelter was paid by animal welfare activists as they had found homes for 10 dogs. But 90% of the dogs in the shelter had disappeared. Workers from the shelter stated that dogs had been killed on November 2nd and buried in a garbage dump. Photographs taken by activists on November 3rd show the shelter as almost entirely empty. Activists left as they feared for their lives, but managed to rescue two adult dogs and five puppies.

We demand that a full investigation is undertaken, that any illegal actions be dealt with to the full extent of the law. We will not cease our enquiries until answers are provided. All international animal welfare organisations either have been or will be contacted about this atrocity.

We further demand that the municipality ensures that the facility is immediately provided with proper management and funds to care for any remaining dogs. Modern practices must be implemented, giving food and fresh water and the facility be must kept sanitary and properly staffed with veterinary professionals so the animals are cared for and, ultimately, caring homes need to be found for the dogs.

This situation has sparked a global outcry and we look to the Bosnian and Herzegovinan justice system and authorities to conform with EU standards regarding animal welfare, and to apply the law that was passed in Bosnia Herzegovina incorporating these EU standards.

Sandra, I support DogsTrust here in the UK and have been on their website, followed the links to their Bosnian office and will write to their campaign manager (Anel Becirovic) to say I find it unbelievable that the DT are not doing something to help Jelena and her friends regarding the dogs at the Hresa shelter. If anyone else wishes to contact them: office@dogstrust.ba and the address is: Dogs Trust Bosnia, Gorica 61, Sarajevo 71000, BH If I receive any reply from my letters to the Mayor, and the Prosecutor’s office, I will let you know (although any such letters are often just ignored). If the DT Bosnian office is bombarded with letters/emails asking them to take action regarding the Hresa shelter, then maybe they will do something. We have to keep trying.

Julie, Thank you so much. I need to do a new blog:- Dogs Trust in Bosnia have connected myself and Animal-Kind International and just today we received the information that the State Veterinary Office informed Dogs Trust in Bosnia yesterday that the the vet inspectorate responsible for Hreša (that of RS) advised them that the shelter has been closed down by the local public utility company, even before the inspectorate had a chance to act, in an apparent effort to avoid possible legal sanctions.

Because there have been no prior inspection visits and because the shelter closed down before they could act now, the inspectorate couldn’t provide any more details.

DT Bosnia wrote: “It was not immediately clear what happened to the remaining dogs, but we will continue following up on this and keep you informed.”

However, I think it is still helpful if you and others write to them, they need to know not to let up on this one. Not because it is particularly horrific (sadly not) but because some momentum has started, and the more international eyes on Hreša, the more likely something will be done, and then so too, perhaps, the other shelters and general situation in Bosnia. Well, that is a rather large hope but we have to start somewhere.

Then, to who should we contact now? With so many names and organizations I’m lost. i contacted to a few already. And what exactly should we say? Obviosly tell them about this but as you said we should use the momentum to ask for more. The situation in Bosnia is horrible for these poor creatures.

Patricia, I think it’s a good idea to write to Dogs Trust, both in Bosnia and the UK, letting them know you know about the situation in Hreša and that they are monitoring it, and that you hope they will pursue investigations into ALL shelters in Bosnia. (I will be making a new post soon about the general situation with state shelters in Bosnia), and ask them how you can help, if there are any MPs or UN ministers they suggest you write to. (let me know if you get any suggestions).

The more such groups know that people are watching, that people want to see results, that they are willing to help, the more likely something will be done.
Address for Dogs Trust in the UK is: Dogs Trust, 17 Wakley Street, London, EC1V 7RQ, in Bosnia: Dogs Trust Bosnia, Gorica 61, Sarajevo 71000, BH
thanks so much, Patricia.

“EVERY TRUE SON AND WARRIOR OF LIGHT” CRIES WHEN IT FINDS THE TRUTHS THAT IT ALWAYS QUIZ THAT ACCOMPANY, BUT NOT ALWAYS HAD, BY LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK IN THE RIGHT PLACES, BECAUSE ONLY AFTER CUT FOR LIFE, IS TO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO AVOID NEW MISTAKES, BECAUSE ITS PURPOSE IS TO EXPAND ITS LIGHT TO BECOME ONE WITH THE “ALL THAT ARE IN EVERYTHING”.THRILL YOURSELF IS DAILY LIFE FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT, BECAUSE THE TEARS ARE NOT EXCEPTION, BUT A CONSTANT FROM THE HEART OF A WARRIOR OF LIGHT, IN SEARCH OF DIVINE JUSTICE, EXPRESSING YOURSELF THROUGH THEM, THEY SAY THROUGH THE EYES WHAT THE MOUTH CAN NOT TRANSLATE THE LIMITED MIND AND FRAGILE OF OUR BODIES, WISHING LOVE AND JUSTICE FOR ALL AND EVERYONE WHO ARE DESERVING TO CONTINUE LIVING AMONG THE VARIOUS FORMS OF LIVES OF THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR UNIVERSAL AMONG US!I WOULD LIKE TO URGE ALL THE SONS AND WARRIORS OF LIGHT WHO ARE TRULY COMMITTED TO SAVE THE ANIMALS WITH ITS OWN CLAW NATURE OF LIGHT GUARDS, WHO STRONGLY URGED, IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY, BECAUSE THOSE ARE NOT POSSIBLE, THE MOST HIGH, WILL BE POSSIBLE, BECAUSE, RELYING ON “ADONY” DIVINE SACRED ENGINEER ARCHITECT, MOST HIGH CREATOR UNIVERSAL ETERNAL OF DAYSHEAVENLY FATHER, OF LOVE AND JUSTICE FOREVER, EVERYTHING HE DOES TO THOSE OF GOOD WILL TO ACHIEVE YOUR DESIRES THAT ARE DIVINE JUSTICE IN OUR HANDS BECAUSE WE ARE EXTENSIONS OF THE ALMIGHTY DOWN HERE, “ALL OF WHICH ARE IN EVERYTHING”, IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS OF LIFE AMONG US, SO WE CAN PUBLICIZE THE “MACHIAVELLIAN AND DEVILISHLY MONSTROUS ATROCITIES”, OF “BAD” ASIANS, AND OTHER PEOPLE “STUCK” WITH OUR BELOVED PETS, WHOSE CRUELTIES ARE KNOWN WORLDWIDE AS THE “DESTROYERS OF INNOCENT HUMAN LIVES,” AS THE CONSUMPTION OF FERNS OF CHILDREN STILL ALIVE, THAT THEY COMPEL WOMEN TO ABORTAREM, TO DEVOUR THEM WITH RAVENOUS CRUELLY DIABOLICAS AND SATISFACTIONS CANIBALMENTE PLEASURES, OF CHILDREN WHO COULD BE ALIVE AMONG HIS OWN PEOPLE.SEE the FACEBOOK PAGE = boycott china/Korea, and on YOUTUBE = matrato the animals, not PASS BADLY BEFORE ATTENDING until the end of the CRUELTIES of THOSE “bad PEOPLE of DARKNESS”, “DEVILS INCARNATE AMONGST US!DIVULGE INCESANTEMENTE, EVERYTHING WE CAN AGAINST THE ATROCITIES MONSTUOSAS, OF “BAD ASIAN PEOPLE”, THAT MAKES OUR BELOVED ANIMALS OF CRICKET, THE HIGHEST PERVERSITIES, THE HIGHEST DEGREES OF CRUELTIES, IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF HUANIDADE TO THIS DAY.WE GIVE UP NOT WITH THE INJURIES THAT WE OBTAINED IN THE BATTLES, BECAUSE TO WIN A FINAL WAR, ONE MUST GO THROUGH BATTLES, LEAVING CICRATIZES THAT SHOW EVERYONE THAT WE WERE SOLDIERS OF A SANTA, HELP THOSE IN NEED OF SALVATION FROM SUFFERING DISTRESSING AND HARROWING CAPTIVITY, WHO ARE OUR BEST FRIENDS AFTER GOD!IF WE DON’T DO THOSE WHO LOVE US AND NEED OUR LOVE, WHO WILL THEN???LET US HELP EACH OTHER BY JOINING US IN THIS BATTLE THAT HAS NO BACK, OR WIN OR OUR ANIMALS WILL CONTINUE SUFFERING CRUELLY AT THE HANDS OF THIS “BAD” PEOPLE STUCK THAT DESTROY HUMAN LIVES WITHOUT MERCY AS WELL, WHICH SHOULD EXIST BETWEEN US, FOR OUR JOYS AND PEACE OF MIND LIVING WITH THE INHUMAN TO TEACH THE HUMAN BEING, THROUGH HER FEELINGS OF MOTHER’S LOVE, RESPECT, GRATITUDE AND LOYALTY OF THEIR OWN NATURES AS WELL, MADE TO COMPLETE AND TEACH THE REAL MEANING OF LIFE, THAT WE TRULY LOVE EACH OTHER FOR QU CAN STAY-MOS IN THE LIGHT!WHILE THERE IS A BROTHER SUFFERING, THERE IS REASON TO BE REALLY HAPPY, BECAUSE WE ARE THE TRUE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE LIGHT, MANAGE TO LIVE BY FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD, EXERCISING HER ROLE OF SONS AND WARRIORS OF LIGHT PRACTICING RIGHTEOUSNESS, THE GOOD AND THE BEAUTIFUL EVER!!!LOVE, RESPECT AND MAKE RESPECTING THE DIVINE CREATION OF THE ANIMALS IN THE “DIVINE CREATOR” AND ITS VARIOUS FORMS OF LIFE AMONG US, COLLECTING THEM FROM COLD, DIRTY AND DEADLY STREETS, OUR BEST FRIENDS AFTER THE “MOST HIGH”, BY THEIR FEELINGS OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR ALL IN THE NAME OF OUR PARTY WITH THE MOST HIGH FATHER “OF LOVE AND JUSTICE FOREVER!!!THANKS TO ALL WHO WANT TO REPATIREM WITH THE BROTHERS OF LIGHT AND LIGHT, PAIN, ANGUISH AND SUFFERINGS BY THE SUFFERINGS OF OUR BELOVED ANIMALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, OUR BEST FRIENDS AFTER THE UNIVERSAL CREATOR!!!THAT OUR TEARS BLESS ALL WHO HELP WIPES THEM DAILY WITH THEIR ATTITUDE OF LOVE AND JUSTICE WITH OUR BELOVED ANIMALS THAT LOVE US AND GIVE THEIR LIVES FOR US!!!

we are in 2013,it’s e very very bad thing that you make to our best friend (dogs) you have to change your abitude to do it ,now you have to close that shelter or you are a” no civilization” country !Quikly,close it !

You do not need a lot of money to keep these dogs in a clean and healthy state,YOU are what they look to for help instead you cause more suffering,I am sure there are vets near you who will come and give aid,thats what vets do,ask the world for help,people who care will donate,get the hell out of the buisiness of animals all of you who are involved and let people who care take over,you show no love or caring whatsever,but remember what goes around comes around. Your government does not care about people so we (the rest of the world) know it does not care about animals,its all up to the decent people of your country to stand up and be heard and rest assured the good people of the world will back them with help,DO something now to put an end to the suffering of innocent animals who did not ask to be brought into this world,thats another human mistake,they suffer because of human neglect,you see these poor dogs every day,getting worse, no water,no food,lying in their own dirt and unable to move because they are so weak,they DIE in pain,I wish the same for everyone involved with these poor dogs

I request that the Government of Bosnian and Herzegovina, the Istocni Stari Grad authorities and municipality mayor Bojo Gašanović in particular, investigate the matter of the Hreša dog shelter.

We have reliable reports and eyewitness accounts substantiated by photographs that that over 50 dogs are being kept in inhumane conditions, without adequate food or water or veterinary treatment, that numerous dogs are kept in tiny cages, that dead dogs are left amongst living dogs. Furthermore, there are reports that any non-purebred dog caught by the shelter is killed, and that purebred dogs are stolen from owners and only released to the owner if a ransom is paid.

It is understood that Slaviša Jovčić, the manager of the shelter and director of Glog, the company that built the shelter, was promised 130 000 KM from the municipalities for the shelter, but the full amount of the money was never paid by the municipality and therefore Slaviša Jovčić cannot ensure the care of the dogs.

We demand that a full investigation is undertaken, that the municipality ensures that the facility is immediately provided with funds to care for these dogs. Modern practices must be implemented, giving food and fresh water and the facility be must kept sanitary and properly staffed with veterinary professionals so the animals are cared for and, ultimately, caring homes need to be found for these dogs.

This situation has sparked a global outcry and we look to the Bosnian and Herzegovinan justice system and authorities to conform with EU standards regarding animal welfare, and to apply the law that was passed in Bosnia Herzegovina incorporating these EU standards.